One of the things new bosses will tell you, should you ask them is that they had no idea just how hard being a leader of other people was going to be. When someone first starts their company they almost always think that they want to be the kind of boss they never had, the guy or gal who didn’t order you around so much as kindly ask for your help in a way that guaranteed said help. What these people failed to realize is that to a large extent the bosses who were slave drivers started out as the kindly old father and realized that wasn’t going to work. Of course no one has to go directly to dictator but there are certain people who simply react better when they are authoritatively told what to do.
The vast differences in personalities that can inhabit a workplace makes it almost impossible to know exactly how to behave from one day to the next and the danger in trying to tailor your behavior to each and everyone in the office becomes obvious when those people never know what to expect from you. When you start your own business the first thing you need to realize is that anything you prepare yourself for is going to be wiped out in a matter of weeks. You need to prepare yourself for the unexpected and try to plan for all problems without knowing what those problems are. You also need to approach your employees that way. Even if you feel as though you are starting to get to know them, realize that out of the blue their personalities can shift from one situation to the next. Understand that firm and consistent without being Idi Amin is going to be the best way to handle any staff whether it be one person or 50.
